The complexities of golf club design are known. The specifications for each component of the club (i.e., the club head, shaft, grip, and subcomponents thereof) directly impact the performance of the club. Thus, by varying design specifications, a golf club can be tailored to have specific performance characteristics. Among the more prominent considerations in club head design are loft, lie, face angle, horizontal face bulge, vertical face roll, center of gravity, rotational moment of inertia, material selection, overall head size, and overall head weight.
Golfers at all skill levels seek to enjoy golf, generally by improving their performance, lowering their golf scores, and reaching that next performance “level.” Golfers need golf clubs that can be used to hit the ball the right distance in the intended direction and enjoy the game more when the golf clubs have been customized and personalized to match their abilities and preferences. There have been attempts to offer golfers the ability to adjust and customize their golf clubs. Some attempts include adjustable weight systems, adjustable loft or lie angles, means to attenuate sound, means to dampen or deflect vibration to improve feel of the club, interchangeable inserts or panels (e.g., face inserts, crowns, portions of the skirt, etc.), each of which allows some form of customization for an individual golfer's playing needs. However, current club designs providing customization capabilities, particularly club systems that allow interchangeability of components, such as threaded components, may be difficult to use and assemble/disassemble, specifically due to the impact forces place upon them as a result of ball strike impacts.
Club designers and manufacturers often look for new ways to customize golf clubs. For instance, club designers are often looking to distribute weight to provide more forgiveness in a club head, improved accuracy, better spin control, or to provide a particular golf ball trajectory and the like. Various approaches have been implemented for redistributing mass about a golf club head.
For example, in order to achieve significant localized mass, weights formed of high-density materials have been attached to the sole, skirt, and other parts of a club head. With these types of weights, the method of installation is critical because the club head endures significant loads at impact with a golf ball, which can dislodge the weight. In some examples, individual weights are secured to the club head by way of fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, etc.). For example, U.S. Publication 2013/0303304 to Sato shows a golf club head having a number of threaded ports in the sole into which weighted elements may be screwed. U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,863 to Bezilla et al. shows a golf club head having a weight mount point defined on a perimeter of the sole to which a weight member is secured via a fastener.
Although current club head designs allow a golfer to customize the club head to their individual preference, these club head designs have drawbacks. For example, when affixing a threaded component into a corresponding portion or mounting portion on a golf club head, the impact force from a golf ball strike may cause the component to further rotate within. This may be particularly true when dealing with a large diameter component. The component may gradually rotate into a tighter fit with the port of the club head from vibration and/or elastic deformation during and following impact strikes. After a number of impacts, the component may become so tightly affixed that it cannot be removed without excessive force, which can result in either damage to the club head or component, or injury to the golfer attempting to remove the component.